⚡Flow data is live from USGS·Rapid classifications and CFS ranges need community verification·Know this river?
100 mi
Length
Class III–IV
Difficulty
2000–6000 cfs
Optimal
3,200 cfs
Avg Flow
2,800 cfs
Hist. Median
#13336500
USGS Gauge
National Wild & Scenic River (1968) · Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness · American Whitewater Stewardship
The Selway is Idaho"s most exclusive wilderness river — a federally designated Wild and Scenic River flowing through the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness with a strict permit system that limits launches to one group per day. The 47-mile permitted section offers continuous Class III–IV whitewater through pristine old-growth forest with no road access, no cell service, and no other humans. Permit odds hover around 5%.
Trip sections
Paradise to Selway Falls — Class III–IV, wilderness permit section
Selway Falls to Lowell — Class II–III, road-accessible lower river
Permit Required
⚠This river requires a permit for all launches
Four Rivers Lottery — Selway
Managed by: USFS Bitterroot National Forest / Nez Perce-Clearwater NF
Type: Lottery
Required for: All launches
Application Window
Opens: December 1
Closes: January 31
Results announced: Mid-February
Season & Logistics
May 15 – July 31
Group size: 1–16 people
The hardest river permit to win in the United States — only one launch per day during the May 15 – July 31 control season, roughly 62 launches per year for the entire country. Permit is part of the Four Rivers Lottery covering the Middle Fork Salmon, Main Salmon, Selway, and Hells Canyon. One application per person across all four rivers. Snowmelt-driven flows; the river is often unrunnable in low-water years.
Last verified: 2025 · Permit rules change annually — always confirm with the managing agency before applying.
Outfitters
OARS Idaho
Selway River permitted wilderness trips
72-Hour Flow Forecast
NOAA NWPS
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10-Year Flow Patterns
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Data Quality
River conditions are community-verified. CFS ranges, difficulty ratings, and trip sections may not reflect every flow level or seasonal change. Always check current conditions, scout unfamiliar rapids, and paddle within your skill level. If you spot an error, use the Improve This River button at the top of the page — your local knowledge is what makes this atlas accurate.